Another new story! I've had this one in mind for a while and I wanted to save it for later when I got deeper into Restart, but it was hard to keep out of mind. This is an interesting idea I came up with and I hope you enjoy Renegade.

1

The shadow of night enveloped the entire city in a shroud of darkness. Quick footsteps, as quiet as a mouse scurrying through a room, echoed lightly down the dark alley. If it weren't for the young boys deep panting, he would have easily escape. However, this was not the case as the child found himself running through the capital city of Goldhart. Splashes of water from the previous day's rain gave the boy's location away, forcing him to quickly shuffle away to a new hiding spot.

Tears began to roll down his cheeks. He was too scared to think rationally. "I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!" he kept thinking in his head. "Please...Someone...Help!" It was then that he crashed into a stone wall. He fell back on his rear end and wiped his face.

The sound of clanging metal and stomping boots alarmed the boy. "Hey guys, I think I heard some noise over there near the alleys that are under construction."

One of the veteran soldiers laughed. "Haha! Looks like the little rascal's trapped. We'll show him what happens when you cross into mage boundary!" The Magus, the military force of the city, jogged forward looking warily for the young boy, confident that they will indeed find him.

Panicked, the boy tried to climb up the wall, but quickly realized that it was flat."Oh no! Oh no!" he spoke to himself frantically. But speaking was the worst mistake he's made.

One of the soldiers noticed his tender voice and spoke loudly, catching the attention of the others. "Hey!" He pointed towards the next alley with his finger. "I heard a voice coming from there! Let's go check!"

The boy fell to his knees, whimpering. "Mommy...I wanna go home!..." he muttered to himself. Seeing that all hope was lost, he cried loudly and clearly. It was then that an object suddenly dropped from the sky and landed right in front of him.

The troop of soldiers arrived at the alley and stepped inside, glancing around. "Huh?...I could have sworn I heard noises coming from here." The soldier in charge touched the walls to see if there was any magic involved with this strange happening, but couldn't trace a single thing. "There's no way..."

The other soldiers, dressed in the same blue uniform clad with metal plates, glanced around and helped check the walls and the area around it. There was no trace of anything supernatural. "Well...Let's move out...Maybe my ears were playing tricks with me."

The young boy took deep breaths, relieved that the soldiers had departed, but now he was worried as to who this stranger was. "Wh-Who are you?" the boy asked, backing away until he bumped into the wall behind him. "Why did you save me?"

The figure turned towards the boy and stood up. The dark made it difficult to make out the person's body stature and appearance. A short rustle was heard coming from towards the figure and then a short click turned on a blast of bright light. Out of instinct, the young boy covered his eyes with his hands. He had short, orderly black hair and his skin was lightly tanned. Just by looking at the boy's figure, the figure could easily tell that he was under the age of 10 and probably hadn't eaten in a few days.

The figure let the light shine on the boy from the flash light until he had become adjusted to it. He brought his arms down and glanced at the figure. "Who...are you?"

With a light, feminine chuckle, the figure spoke, "So you're the trespasser...Didn't think you'd be so young..."

The young boy gulped. His fear began to return to him. "Are you going to kill me?"

The figure laughed. "Kill you? Don't make me laugh! There are much more terrible things I can do to you than kill you!" Shutting the flashlight off, the figure quickly flashed it on herself. "I'll cuddle you to death!"

Surprised beyond disbelief, the boy didn't react as the woman picked him up and toyed around with his face.

"Aww...Cute!" the woman spoke with a smile. By looking at her, the boy could tell that she was probably of Chinese descent. Her body was lean and flexible, and her face was delicate and pretty. She had black hair that was pinned behind her head and calm gray eyes. Much to the surprise of the young boy, she wore the emblem of the army. "Hmm? Something wrong?"

The boy slapped her arms away and backed off. "This is a trap. You're part of the army!" His stomach roared for a couple seconds, causing the female officer to release a short chuckle. The woman set the flashlight on the young boy's face, revealing hisface, which now grew as red as a cherry. "Hey! Stop that!"

The woman smiled. She set the flashlight on the ground in such a way that both people were able to see each other's face. At this angle, the boy noticed that her uniform was much different that the usual military attire. She had no metal plates on her attire and instead of military pants, she wore casual black jeans. Her torso consisted of a thick gray shirt that had one missing sleeve. The same arm that was missing a sleeve was wrapped almost entirely with black bandages. Tattooed on the bottom of her neck was the emblem of the United Government.

"So...You don't look like you're a threat to the capital..." she spoke. The woman knelt down and poked they boy's cheeks. "You're too cute to do that!"

The boy slapped her hands away and frowned. Looking around, he was shocked to notice that they were boxed in by walls. "Wait...what?" Only moments ago did he enter through an open path.

The young woman was confused, but soon understood his confusion. "Oh...You want to know how I did this?" She tapped the wall behind her. Immediately, the strong, rigid barrier dissipated literally into thin air, revealing the path the boy had entered from. "I'll help you get home. I'm Aven Rostek! I'm all-knowing, all-powerful, and all the boys love me!" she spoke excitedly, hoping to get the young boy's name as well by offering her hand.

The boy hesitated, but shook it anyways. "...Bet you're none of those things. I'm Zane Salinger...What type of magic was that?..." he asked, having never seen such a thing. "That...wasn't anything I've seen before."

Aven smiled, standing up straight. Ignoring him, she instead replied, "Well then Zane. Let's hurry and get somewhere safe before one of my superior officers shows u-"

Just before Aven was able to finish speaking, a calm, firm voice interrupted her. "Up to no good again, Aven?" The voice belonged to an older middle aged man around the age of 40. He stood at the entrance of the alley looking upon the young woman and the child. He was dressed in a neat, white coat that he wore over tidy black pants and a tight dress shirt.

Despite the sky being so dark, Aven was able to clearly see the man's peaceful blue eyes. "Sir Lightland!" she immediately spoke, saluting him by bringing her hand up to her head. "I've found the intruder!"

Zane gulped, hiding behind Aven's legs. "What are you doing?...I thought you said you were going to take me home!" he whispered, beginning to feel a sense of dread. The boy looked into the man's eyes, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and horror from him. "This man...he's scary. Who is he?"

Aven spoke without budging a muscle. "He's Vance Lightland, one of the highest ranked Elites in Goldhart." She gulped, continuing to stare in respect at her superior official. "He's also the one who taught me...Just stay behind me. You won't get hurt."

Vance took a glance at the young, scrawny boy whimpering behind his subordinate's legs. "Hmm...He matches the descriptions almost perfectly: short and scrawny."

Immediately, Zane burst through Aven's legs, dropping her to the ground, and stood outraged. "Hey! Who're you calling short and scrawny! I'm perfectly fine!" His stomach roared once again, completely embarrassing him as he took quick steps back.

Vance approached the young boy and set his hand on his head and grinned. "What a child..."

Aven watched her superior blankly. "Maybe because he is one," she commented, picking herself up from the ground.

The sound of chirping birds caught the attention of the trio. Vance looked up at the sky, which was already beginning to brighten. "Hmm...It's almost morning..." The man looked at Zane and then at Aven. "Hey, Aven...Take the boy home."

Aven nodded. "Yes, sir!"

Vance turned around and approached the exit of the alley. "I'm going to head back on 'patrol.' Don't let the boy get caught by the police, it might hurt the government's reputation for bringing the death sentence on the boy."

After a short silence, Aven agreed and led the boy towards the exit. "I'll do my best."

As Aven was leaving the passage, Vance grabbed her shoulder before she was able to successfully walk past him. "Don't try to do that again..." he whispered. "This is your warning, Aven. Next time, follow your orders."

The young woman gulped. Knowing the extreme power that her mentor wields, her body wavered and her eyes began to quaver. "Y-Yes, sir."

vvvvvv

The city of Goldhart was incredibly huge, scattered with large, magnificent buildings and roads. Goldhart is known as one of the seven capitals of the United Government, covering almost three-fourths of Japan. The other six provinces were spread around the world on each continent except for Antarctica.

Large castles and towers remained distinctive, further expressing the power and influence of the United Government, which had successfully been formed twenty years ago in the year of 2030. Alongside these enormous buildings were the homes, which sheltered hundreds of millions of people in the huge capital of Goldhart. Still, compared to the other six capitals, Goldhart was the smallest, but to make up for this shortcoming, it is known for having the most aggressive and skilled military force in the world.

The lack of cars on the street made Aven and Zane's stroll to the exit simple and unchallenged, for the introduction to magic on the Earth, now known as Hex, had removed the need for cars in civilization.

The pair finally reached the exit, where they were approached by a large, buff man. Aven turned away, trying to avoid eye contact, but couldn't help to notice the massive castle that sat on top of a sturdy man-made mountain far away. Everyone in all of Goldhart knew that the king of Goldhart lived there, and Aven couldn't help but smile.

Though, as she continued to walk, Aven forgot about the man that stepped up to stop her. She bumped into him on accident and dropped on the floor, looking up at him.

The man stared her down. "Aven Rostek...First class bounty hunter."

Zane's eyes expanded. "Bounty hunter?!" Covered by a gray robe to hide his identity, he hoped that the large man wouldn't notice him.

Aven picked herself up and returned the stare at the man. "What do you want, Sir Baron?" she asked sternly. The bounty hunter absolutely hated the man who protected the main entrance gate into Goldhart. Baron was his name, and he was a member of the group known as the Elites along with Vance Lightland.

Baron scoffed, grabbing the boy by the hood of the robe and picking him up effortlessly. "Don't fool me, Rostek. This boy is the intruder." Aven didn't respond, giving Baron a second opportunity to chatter. "Even you should know your duties. We were strictly ordered by the king to destroy all intruders on sight. Looks like you're showing your true self. You weren't born a citizen of the United Government! You really were an Exile all along!"

Aven gritted her teeth. "Shut up!" she roared, clenching her fists. "Don't belittle me because of my birthplace. It's people like you that make me sick!" She wasn't able to contain the words from exiting her mouth, which she would soon regret.

"That's not how you speak to an Elite, bounty hunter," Baron spoke, drawing his sword. "I've hated you since the beginning...since you became a bounty hunter in the name of the United Government. Since no is around...I guess I can take this chance and destroy you."

It was for this reason that Aven had hated this man so much. He was incredibly arrogant and had a insatiable lust for battle. It was never fair for the opponent because the man was always clad in heavy armor that covered him from head to toe. Even his sword was of abnormal size, being just slightly taller than Aven herself.

The bounty hunter shook her head. "No..." she simply replied, starting the large man. Aven grabbed onto Zane and dragged him out of the exit. "I'm going to take him home and that's the end of it."

"Hmph...Are you scared?" Baron asked. "Haha. What am I thinking...Of course she is. She was born an Exile...Those cowards are always afraid. I can't remember how many I've killed so far!"

Aven remained silent, continuing to walk forward. Zane couldn't help but feel worried for her. The young boy could feel the tightening of Aven's grip on her hand as Baron continued to spout insults from his large, loud mouth.

Eventually, the two were able to walk far enough that Baron had given up on screaming foul language at them. It was at that time that Aven began to speak again. "Wow...I thought that it would never end."

Zane looked up at Aven, who seemed to be a calm mood once again. Only moments ago did she seem glum and annoyed. "Are you okay...Aven?" the boy asked, unsure if he had correctly called her by her name.

The bounty hunter closed her eyes and nodded. "Yep. Never been better."

The young boy took her for granted and continued down the path. Unlike the capital of Goldhart, the region outside of the city was less urban. Trees and fields filled the area. Flowers and other plants began to open their petals for the incoming sunlight. Birds sang in harmony as morning was soon arriving. It was truly a scene of nature. Though, despite all of the beautiful features outside of Goldhart, it was truly something tragic to look at.

Aven glanced around, but she couldn't help but frown at the sight. "This place is so beautiful...Only if...we could all live in peace and harmony. Am I right, Zane?"

Zane, seeing that Aven hadn't commented on his previously statement, decided that he had gotten her name right. "Yeah...Too bad that's not going to happen. The United Government are just a bunch of dicks."

Immediately, Aven bonked Zane on the head. "Zane! Where'd you learn that kind of horrid language! You're only like seven years old!"

The young boy snickered. "My older brother talks about the United Government all the time...Talking about all its flaws and weaknesses...It's like he knows everything about it even though he's never really left the house."

Aven frowned. "He sounds like a brilliant guy...It's a shame that the UG completely left the Exile in ruins. They wouldn't supply you guys with anything. Not food...not education..." Aven looked forward and noticed a strange man walking towards them in the distance.

Zane, oblivious to the incoming man, continued to speak. "Damn the United Government...if it weren't for them...maybe we could be happy. We could all be happy." The Exile was the area of Hex (formerly known as Earth) that all humans who are unable to wield magic are limited to. In other words, the Exile is every single place on Hex that is not in a capital's property.

Aven did not reply. Zane, noticing that the subject was awkward for her, changed the topic. "So like...that Lightland person...He's an Elite?"

"Totally," Aven immediately responded. "He seems pretty calm and collected, but in battle, he's a total beast. I'm pretty glad to have him as my mentor instead of anyone else."

Zane raised his eyebrows. "He's your mentor?"

Aven nodded. "Yeah. He's taught me how to wield magic and use it since I was a little girl. He's kind and respectable, unlike that bastard Baron."

"He's an Elite too?" Zane asked.

"...Yeah," she stated. "Only the very strongest of different types of magic can become Elites. Like...there can only be one Elite of Water among all the water mages in all of Goldhart."

Zane nodded, but before he was able to reply, he walked straight into a man's leg. Rubbing his face, he inadvertently cried out, "Hey, blind loser! Get out of the ro-" When he realized what type of person he was speaking to, he quickly scurried behind Aven's legs, cowering in fear.

Aven couldn't help but shake at the sight as well. Even she took a step back upon looking at him. "S-Stay back, Zane."

The man didn't budge. He merely watched the two with a sinister glare. But it wasn't that that frightened the pair, it was the man's appearance. Hundreds of bandages wrapped around his upper body and head. He wore no shirt, but the bandages that wrapped around his torso made it seem as if he wore a sleeveless shirt completely made of cloth bandages. Even some of his muscular arms were wrapped with bandages. However, it was his face that brought the true horror to them. Like his upper body, his head was almost completely wrapped in white cloth bandages, revealing a couple openings for his oily black hair to stick out. The bandages failed to cover all of his face though. A single, long, and diagonal streak revealed one of his demonic eyes and his burnt skin, which was much darker in color than the rest of his body.

He turned his eyes on Aven. "Think before you act," he simply spoke, even though bandages covered his mouth as well. With that, the strange man walked past the two and continued on the road towards Goldhart.

Aven looked back at him and noticed the two katanas on his back. Confused as to why anyone with sense would travel to a heavily protected area such as Goldhart with weapons, she simply deemed him as mentally insane.

"Is the mummy gone?" Zane asked.

Aven looked down and dropped to a knee. "Yep. He was pretty scary, hehe. But that's all over with. I don't think we'll see him ever again." The bounty hunter stood up and continued down the road towards a small self-sufficient town that she could see from where she was at. "Oh! Is that where your home is?"

Zane's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Oh my God!" The young boy hugged Aven, overjoyed to see his hometown once again. "Back there, I didn't think I'd make it alive..."

Aven laughed, pulling on Zane's childish cheeks. Though she expressed happiness on the outside, a single question loomed in her mind. "What was he doing in Goldhart anyways?..."

vvvvv

I hope you liked it! This is the first chapter of Renegade, a story that I hope will turn out really good. Stay tuned for the next chapter!